Neurodevelopment

The developing human brain undergoes an astonishing sequence of events that continuously shape the structural and functional brain connectivity. Our research focuses on the exploration of the trajectories of brain development with focus on healthy brain development and developmental psychopathologies:

Normal Development

Using functional (fMRI, EEG, MEG) and structural brain imaging (MRI, DTI, pCASL) phenotyping across multiple cohorts, we develop biomarkers such as cortical morphology and white matter fiber tractography, to localize or understand the network topography of macroscopic changes in the developing brain. In the healthy population we study the temporal characteristics of local or network brain features, and their association with cognitive milestones, in order to understand if and how the changing scaffold of brain circuits predicts differences between normal and atypical cognitive development.

Neurodevelopmental Psychopathology (Autism)

The main aim of this research is to develop target biomarkers that enable us to identify the etiology of illness, in order to provide timely and appropriate preventive interventions. Using neuroimaging and behavioral biomarkers, and modeling, we explore large cohort data to understand how neurodevelopmental trajectories vary as a function of illness severity and how the trajectories of subjects suffering from a given form of psychopathology differ from that of healthy subjects.

Cohort Studies

The MCIN has been coordinating multi-centre longitudinal studies of typical and atypical neurodevelopment involving multi-modal imaging and highly technical behavioral assessments. We coordinated high quality data acquisition and management for the first of such studies for the NIHPD project. Currently, we are coordinating the Infant Brain Imaging Study (IBIS).

Links to related foundation, initiatives, and funding

The Azrieli Foundation is a Canadian philanthropic organization that supports a wide range of initiatives and programs in the fields of education, architecture and design, Jewish community, Holocaust commemoration and education, scientific and medical research, and the arts.

This study of very early brain development in autism has the potential to provide important clues relevant to early detection of autism and discovering the early changes in the brain for young children with autism. The McGill Centre for Integrated Neuroscience coordinates four sites conducting multi-modal scans and highly technical behavioral assessments in a longitudinal study of infants which investigates this.

The purpose of the Multi-Investigator Research Initiative (MIRI) grants is to support multidisciplinary teams and to accelerate novel and transformative research that will fundamentally change our understanding of nervous system function and dysfunction and their impact on health. The ultimate goal is to reduce the social and economic burden of neurological and mental health problems by prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Autism Speaks, along with Autism Speaks Canada, is the world’s leading autism science organization. Autism Speaks Canada is committed to supporting research and services across the country; raising public awareness to encourage inclusion; and collaborating with other organizations to speak alongside the autism community.

Canada’s researchers lead the world in contributing to competitiveness, prosperity and quality of life. The CFI makes financial contributions to Canada’s universities, colleges, research hospitals and non-profit research organizations to increase their capability to carry out high quality research.

NSERC aims to make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians. The agency supports university students in their advanced studies, promotes and supports discovery research, and fosters innovation by encouraging Canadian companies to participate and invest in postsecondary research projects. NSERC researchers are on the vanguard of science, building on Canada’s long tradition of scientific excellence.

The mission of the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies (FRQNT) is as follows:

to promote and provide financial support for research in the fields of natural sciences, mathematical sciences and engineering;

to promote and provide financial support for the dissemination of scientific knowledge in fields of research relating to natural sciences, mathematical sciences and engineering;

to promote and provide financial support for the training of researchers through merit scholarships for graduate and postgraduate students and persons who engage in postdoctoral research, through professional development scholarships for persons who wish to re-enter the research community, and through grants that allow the teaching duties of college level professors engaging in research activities to be reduced;

to create any necessary partnerships, in particular with universities, colleges, and industry and the government departments and public and private bodies concerned.

For several years, the Jean Coutu Group has taken concrete steps to improve the quality of life of the communities it serves. It supports, amongst others, organizations working in the health and education sectors.